


In the Light of Day

by ThinkingofWordstoWrite



Category: White Collar
Genre: 1940's, Coffee, Friendship, Gen, Humor, New York City, Other - Freeform, Tea, historical fic, sort of a steampunk fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 06:44:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3800728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThinkingofWordstoWrite/pseuds/ThinkingofWordstoWrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the 1940’s; Neal is a Gaslighter, one of those who tends the cities gaslights by dusting the outsides and replacing the bulbs. One evening, he attends the gaslight outside the Burke’s place of whom invite him over for tea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Light of Day

**Author's Note:**

> -I don't own White Collar.

It was dark, though dawn was coming soon. The pre-dawn light was already peeking over the horizon. You could barely see it…but it was still there. Neal liked this part of the day best, because the city was quiet in its slumber, and there were very few stragglers. Therefore, he was always surprised to find Mrs. Burke, the last amongst the gaslights, awake and sitting on her front porch-waiting to invite him for a cup of tea.

The first time that Neal saw her, she was dressed in a warm robe and probably had clothes underneath but he didn’t stop and stare-though she was beautiful. She’d waved at him and he had hesitantly waved back. He didn’t deal well with people, it was why he chose the odd jobs that most people in the city didn’t like because of their solitude nature. So when he saw her, sitting on the porch and sipping some sort of drink that was clearly warm from the steam that came from the mug-probably coffee, or tea maybe-he was surprised. 

And suspicious.

But each week he checked the gaslight, she was always there, and smiling and waving at him though he could barely make her out in the pre-dawn light. She seemed so pretty, and kind, just sitting there drinking whatever it was that she had. 

Until the one morning that she wasn’t there.

He was surprised by it, and wondered uneasily where she might be. Spies were everywhere, maybe she had gone? But no, her husband was there too-at least, he assumed that he was her husband. The two looked so kind and peaceful, they didn’t seem to be the type to be spies. 

When he saw her next, she looked worn down and tired. She saw him and waved, but the smile seemed forced. He decided to head over for the first time, in spite of his inner self demanding that he remain attached to the job at hand. 

“Good morning,” She said, clearly unsurprised at seeing him. 

“Morning, ma’am.” He said, quietly-carefully. He wasn’t sure if he was welcome or not, so he remained fixed on the sidewalk. 

“Would you like a cup of tea? It must be cold, working in the winter like this,” She gestured at the extra mug and the tea that was in the pot on the little round table that looked antique-ish. Neal half-smiled. So it had been tea, not coffee. Somehow, that suited her. 

“I would very much like a cup. But…”

“Please. I’ve made more than enough for two people, and my husband prefers coffee himself but he’s off at work,” 

“What does he do?” Neal wondered. Then frowned. “I’m sorry, where are my manners? My mentor would have my hide. My name is Neal.”

“I’m Elizabeth,” She said with a smile that this time wasn’t forced at all. 

He parked next to her, and the two of them began to talk, all the way through until the gaslight slowly faded into the light of the day.  
==

End

**Author's Note:**

> -Thank you for reading. Kudos and Comments are much love!


End file.
